CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT?
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Nick, Sara, Warrick and Greg, which would probably be a great relief to the actors after this fic.
I also don't own my dialogue and everything in italics, which was written by Tim Rice and is from the film The Lion King – it's copyrighted to Disney, so I hope they don't sue me. None of the dialogue is mine.
A/N: Expect some OOC behaviour in this ridiculously contrived situation. This is possibly the most bizarre thing I've ever written, I just couldn't resist. I may have gone quite mad, but... it's got some N/S fluff so that's got to be a plus.
***
As the sun set over Las Vegas, it spilt its warm red glow across the desert, creeping across the sands until it met the Crime Scene Investigators. With barely a pause the light swept over the scene, tinting the people, both alive and dead, with a vague otherworldly glow as the sun continued it's journey to the horizon.
The CSIs had been called out early to this scene, linked to an earlier murder they had been processing. Now they worked in silence, Nick and Sara crouched around the two bodies; Warrick teaching Greg some of the finer points of searching the area for possible clues.
Chancing to glance over at Nick and Sara as their eyes met across a body before each quickly looked away, Warrick stifled a grin and nudged Greg in the side. "I can see what's happening," he hissed.
Greg looked around him, obviously thinking Warrick had spotted a clue. "What?"
"And they don't have a clue," Warrick continued, in a half-satisfied tone.
"Who?" Greg asked. Was Warrick onto something? Or was he just on something?
"They'll fall in love, and here's the bottom line," Warrick continued, now grim. "Our trio's down to two."
"Oh," said Greg, catching on and looking over at Nick and Sara himself. Sara's cheeks were red, and he didn't suppose the sunset had anything to do with it. Would Nick be spending his spare time with Sara instead of with them? It wasn't such a bad fate, he supposed, sighing.
"The sweet caress of twilight," Warrick muttered. "There's magic everywhere. And with all this romantic atmosphere, disaster's in the air."
Greg stared at Warrick rather than at Nick and Sara. OK, Warrick was probably right about what was going on between Nick and Sara. But waxing lyrical about twilight? He was definitely on something, and whatever it was, Greg wanted to try it.
***
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings?
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
***
Nick found himself unable to keep his eyes off Sara as they worked. He was unable to concentrate on anything but her, and he knew it was to the detriment of his work. His heart was bubbling up with things he wanted to tell her, secrets, things he'd only hinted of to others. He wanted to share his life with her, but he was afraid she'd run away if she knew about his dark parts.
As she crouched down, examining something in the soil beside the second body, Nick found himself, alarmingly, muttering under his breath. He couldn't talk to Sara. He'd have to talk to himself. "So many things to tell her," he mused, "but how to make her see the truth about my past?... Impossible. She'd turn away from me."
He couldn't risk losing her friendship. Nick knew he wouldn't be able to bear it if she turned away and walked out of his life.
***
Working over and around the bodies of the two young men, Sara found herself more acutely conscious of Nick than she had ever been before. His sheer presence was overwhelming her and she was finding it harder than ever to concentrate on the job that had once been her salvation.
Trying to keep the work at the forefront of her mind, Sara's brain kept pushing in with observations about Nick. He was the senior CSI, he was the primary on this, but he kept deferring to her. He wanted her opinions, her advice. Much as she'd wanted that promotion, she knew Nick deserved it just as much as she did. And he could do the job and do it well. King of the crime scene, she thought madly. "He's holding back. He's hiding. But what... I can't decide. Why won't he be the king I know he is – the king I see inside?"
Their eyes met once more. This time, Sara held Nick's gaze. They both smiled.
***
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
***
It was a beautiful night. Peaceful, calm, warm. To the two experienced CSIs, even a couple of bodies that were on the verge of decomposition couldn't ruin it. They were in this job because they loved it, even with the distractions caused by each other. In fact, it was almost perfect.
***
Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn't look too far
Stealing through the night's uncertainties
Love is where they are
***
Warrick watched Nick and Sara gaze into each others' eyes over the romantic spectacle of a corpse. Turning to Greg again, he was assailed by a feeling of inevitable change. "And if he falls in love tonight," he muttered, almost to himself, although he knew his friend heard him, "it can be assumed his carefree days with us are history. In short," he paused, looking at Nick and Sara who had both acquired ridiculously goofy grins, "our pal is doomed," he finished with a dramatic tone.
Greg looked startled.
Nick and Sara looked star struck.
THE END